Whew! 😥 It‘s been a few weeks, huh. 😟

In moments, I‘ve made a little progress with my books. Finally reading the tagged and nearly 3/4 done w Locklands, the third in a trilogy by one of my favorite authors. I do regret reading this one by audio. I don‘t know why, but I think this one would have been better eye-reading, even though I listened to the other two. 🤔🤷‍♀️

Hope everyone‘s 2025 is… 🙏🏼♥️

Oooh what a cool book @Jadams89 and very timely too!! Perfect for a new perspective in the new year ☺️. And that smores mix is one of my faaaavorites. 😍😍 Also, the ornament is so cute, I love that smores bar, & the book of lifesavers were an annual gift from my parents when they were alive. What a warm hug of a box! Thank you so much!!!♥️🎄😍😘♥️ #LittleChristmasSwap #LCS

And thank you @bookish_wookish for hosting this lovely little swap! 🤗♥️

Did a little 2025 book rearranging… @Malachi wants to help me pick my “next book” (let‘s call it a real-life jar of fate), so I rearranged the left so he can pick from a set selection. 😏 The one on the right is just the shelf in my bedroom… starting to be too packed with 3 shelves double-stacked!

Anyone else have plans for how to pick “what‘s next” from the ol‘ tbr in 2025?

🤯😅 Read this yesterday. I couldn‘t stop until after midnight. It was the first thing to bring me back to the feels of one of my *fave* books, Night Film… also by Pessl. While I didn‘t think it achieved perfection all the way through (the end was fine, but not mind-blowing), there was enough perfection throughout to truly be satisfying. 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 (4.5 sparkly stars)

Next up: Knit One, Kill Two for #CoffeeBeanBookClub #cbbc & #ThematicCozies !

Monthly books! #Aardvarkbookclub #Bookofthemonth #botm

For Aardvark, full box again (🫨🫨), incl their book of the year (tagged), which, yes, I woke up at 530a to make sure I could secure (8aET is 6a here), plus these 2 I just… can‘t… pass… up. @AardvarkBookClub

For BOTM, a little lackluster, but I picked this interesting sounding thriller + getting the next issue of their short story subscription. Must… actually start that series soon… 🤔

Quick book reviews!

Tagged (audio): slow start, excellent creepy horror, nice personal growth. Def read more by this author! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5th Season: Excellent slow build epic fantasy; purchased 2&3 already. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Morris: #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc quick read, fun fresh start, ghosts/spirits & murder. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Coming to you @Mommamanzi !

Also, more than doubled last yr‘s goal! This year? 36 - plan to read some #chunksters. ☺️

Happy 2025 all! 💜

@MaleficentBookDragon this was the *best* #NaughtyListHolidaySwap #NLHS pkg!!! Thank you for 4 books I‘m sooo excited to read, incl one of *your* faves 🤩🤩 The bookmark is 🤌🏼, the spooky candies are perf, & I love the Sophie‘s Scarf!! It‘s so expertly done & I love those colors too!! 😍😍 And the book sleeve! Guys, look at that amazing skull-snowflake design (blown up in back left)! Also the wrap was so cute (back-right)! 🖤❤️🖤 Thank you!!

Huh. I thought I‘d already posted this! Welp, by waiting I can officially announce (I think.. technically there‘s still a week to go!) that my favorite book of 2024 was Annie Bot. I recommend it all the time. 🤯

Saw this book somewhere — starting to listen on audio. Anyone read this one yet? Seems interesting but I‘m waiting for it to move out of teen-conflict territory… 😬

Also, wishing you all a peaceful night. 🙏🏼✨🤍

I… apparently didn‘t post this last night. But I put in the effort, so here it is anyway. Happy day to all - hope you fjnd peace and joy today! ♥️🎄

Aaaand also, thank you @JessieKB for this lovely addition to my #StuffedStockingSwap #sss gifts!! I love it - it‘s so cute!! Merry Christmas to you!
♥️🎄♥️

Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for not only hosting my favorite swap all year #jolabokaflodswap, but also for sending me *two* books to enjoy!! I‘ve been coveting the Sager and can‘t wait to dive in, and the Christmas book looks sweet and calming - perfect for the season ☺️?. And I‘m super looking fwd to addition orange & chocolate, mint chocolate cookies, & a cocoa bomb my evening. Thank you again!! Happy Jólabókaflód and Happy Christmas!! ?♥️

Yay #jolabokaflodswap open day!!

Thank you @Graciouswarriorprincess for this perfect Christmas Eve book and some of my favorite chocolate combinations - orange, wafers, and almonds! I so look forward to this tradition every year. Happy Jólabókaflód and Happy Christmas! ?♥️

Received this giant package yesterday for #NaughtyHolidayListSwap #nhls *and* #jolabokaflodswap !! Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon — I can‘t wait!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Also, you can‘t really see, but the ducks love winter around here because the pool is closed but has water and there are almost 50 ducks in that pic!! 😯

And still reading this book. Very involved, but very good. It‘s taking me a while to get through, but I‘m getting there! ☺️

Fun book day!!

2 found books on the shelves of my fave local used/new bookstore 🤩

Rec‘d package from @Graciouswarriorprincess 😯 But no #? Maybe #jolabokaflodswap ? Can‘t wait, either way - thank you! 👏🏼👏🏼

And rec‘d #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc for Dec & Jan!! Thank you @Callemarie for the adorable mugs & cocoas!! Perfect for me & hugs to share ☺️. And I love chocolate hazelnut wafers and Lindt truffles 😍🥰 Merry Christmas to you!! ♥️🎄♥️

🎄 Malachi‘s Christmas outfit - that‘s a FABulous Mickey Mouse sweater 😍.

🎄 #LittleChristmasSwap #LCS package received @Jadams89 ! 👏🏼👏🏼 Now just have to wait… 😉
Btw, receipt of package a minor miracle bc our postal carrier decided for no discernible reason that we‘d moved with no forwarding address and forwarded 4 packages and all our mail for a couple days. 😳 They caught this one in time!! 😅

🎄An unfortunately accurate chuckle… 😉

And thank you @JessieKB for this wonderful box of Christmas cheer!! I loooove moose munch, the tea smells amazing, and I love Lindt truffles! The socks are so cute and I can‘t wait to wear them (today), and I‘m so excited to read these books!! The tagged being particularly timely 😘.

I also love the themed wrapping!! Thank you so much; I love it all!! ♥️♥️🎄✨☃️🧦♥️♥️ #StuffedStockingSwap #sss

Yay!! #StuffedStockingSwap #sss opening day!

Thank you @MrsGagnonreads2024 for this lovely package!! I‘ve been wanting to read this book for so long, the book sleeve is ✨gorgeous✨, I love both bookmarks, the candy sounds soo yummy!, and the ornament is perfect for our tree!! Thank you so much!! ♥️♥️🎄☃️🧦♥️♥️

I listened to this 2nd in the series and *quite* enjoyed it. I actually thought this was better than the first and am very much looking forward to the 3rd! 😄 I liked the story, the family, the magic, and the, er, tension. 😉 4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Also received my #StuffedStockingSwap #sss package from @JessieKB today - yay!! Can‘t wait to open! (Also, adorbs box!!) 🎄☃️❤️👏🏼👏🏼

Received one of my #StuffedStockingSwap #sss packages! 👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you @MrsGagnonreads2024 - I can‘t wait to open it!! 🎄☃️❤️

Also, look at this adorable Christmas house craft @Malachi made! 😍😍

Aaaand also a pic of the super awesome nightmare before Christmas advent calendar his auntie got him for Christmas 🥰♥️

Hope you‘re all having a nice December! ☃️💙

This week I wanted escape… but couldn‘t. So I caved & opened your gift @AmyG - thank you so much!! I can‘t wait to read this book, the cozy additions are perfect, I love that frame for me & buggy… and I already drank the mocha cocoa .. w/ some marshmallow liqueur 🫢🤤😴 Thank you for this spot of joy!! ♥️♥️

We also had our #reallifebookgroup book exchange & I scored this Picoult! 👏🏼👏🏼

Also spotted: this $400 deco in the wild 😳 (yes, TJX 😜)

Found! In my favorite new/used bookstore, this creepy sounding novella — anyone read it?

Also, mailed the last of my Christmas packages tonight! Two to the in-laws and one to my #NaughtyListHolidaySwap secret recipient !
🖤👹😈🤡🖤
@WildAlaskaBibliophile

Hi all! Just checking in re #stuffedstockingswap #sss - I‘m tagging some folks in the comments who I don‘t have notice yet of packages shipped. If you‘ve already mailed and let me know and I just missed it - sorry! please let me know again. 🤗

Finished tagged #RealLifeBookGroup⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lovely & lyrical & I liked the intertwining stories. But while I understood why some things weren‘t wrapped up, I still missed a cpl ribbons. 🎀

Listening to Villain, 9th of my #tenbeforetheend #10beforetheend

And Pic of sisters & @Malachi & I last wknd 🥰

Also, mailed #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc for Dec - @Mommamanzi it d/n have the next book bc I don‘t have it yet, but 👇🏼 (see comments for rest)

Oh @AardvarkBookClub you temptress.
I added, removed, added different ones… and settled on a selection that may be a little less typical for me… but just as exciting. 🤩 #aardvark #aardvarkbookclub

Also we decorated our tree today! @Malachi helped a lot!! 🎄♥️

And I mailed out 3 more swap packages:
Both of my #jolabokaflodswap packages and my #LittleChristmasSwap package. 😅💌📦📚💝
@MaleficentBookDragon @bookish_wookish

Picked my #botm #bookofthemonth books & am getting the challenge reward too! Picked 1 for Dec & added from a prior month - sounds interesting!

Also, rec‘d this pkd @AmyG , but no tag — #jolabokaflodswap? Either way, thank you!! 👏🏼👏🏼♥️

And sent my 2 #StuffedStockingSwap #sss packages on Wed! (1 big size and 1 small size) I believe they‘re both set to arrive Monday!

Finalizing the rest of my winter swap packages and will send those soon! 😄

Happy Thanksgiving!! 🍁🦃♥️

Started the tagged… finally!! I have wanted to read this for so many years. Of course, it is delivering in ♠️♠️♠️ already!

Also excited to learn that #Belletrist‘s book this month is Darkly!! Super wanted to read that too.

Also, buggy lost his THIRD tooth this month!! 😍

Aaaand just showing off my perfect (it turned out so well this year!!) pumpkin pie with pecan streusel. 🤤

♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃

And here‘s my #naughtylistholidayswap aesthetic…. I like it dark & creepy. 😈

A soft pick (tagged) ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lyrical, pretty to ponder, & great potential for the story b/t Angel & Demon. Ultimately fell a little flat for me.

Soft pick for Gold Hills. Again, such pretty writing, & fascinating story & characters! I don‘t know if it tried to do too much in too few pages, but it wasn‘t as strong as it could have been. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pram - a quick audio creature feature ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Next: audio Apprentice & paper Cemetery #reallifebookgroup

I thought… it must have the right ending…
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Next up & primed for #hyggehour #hyggehourreadathon: City in Glass 🏙️

Holy Swap Season Batman!

I think these are all of the litsy swaps that still have active signups! 👏🏼❤️❄️🤍📦💙☃️💝

See:
 @LibrarianRyan for #HolidayCardSwap (cards)
@MaleficentBookDragon for #Jolabokaflodswap (1 book + chocolate, 12/24 open)
@CarolynM for #AussieSecretSanta (Aussie Littens)
@bookish_wookish for #LittleChristmasSwap (1 book + treat; 1/6 open)
and
@WildAlaskaBibliophile for #NaughtyListHolidaySwap (diff sizes; 12/28 open)
🤗🤗

Read in 1 day! Quick, tense, techie, and manages to work in some very interesting and thought provoking relationship ponderings. Really enjoyed this and so nice to read a book so quickly again! 🙌🏼
🌟🌟🌟🌟

And with that, I‘m halfway done with #tenbeforetheend #10beforetheend 😅

Starting The Unraveling next….

Finished! It was really good. I very much want to read the next one. I really liked the characters, the town, and even the “love interest” won me over (a *little*) by the end. 😉 A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

But as indicated in my prior post, I need a real break from cozies for a beat. So starting William…

Welp.. I still think I can probably finish the #10beforetheend #tenbeforetheend - but I had to replace 2. I think I‘ve read all the cozies I can read this year, save maybe 1 more if I need to for #cbbc #coffeebeanbookclub

Reading the tagged. It‘s good. I can tell. But the last several cozies have dragged for me & I think it‘s because I need… let‘s say, less predictability. So. 2 cozies replaced with: The Unraveling & The City In Glass.

🤞🏼🤞🏼

My progress on #10beforetheend #tenbeforetheend

Finished:
Thirsty ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and fun!
What My Bones Know ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trust ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🤷‍♀️

And reading:
The Body in the Bookstore (#cbbc)
How Much of These Hills is Gold (#reallifebookgroup)

Matches sent!

Let me know if you haven‘t received yours or if there are any issues.

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS
🎄❄️🩷

Hi all - perhaps some holiday cheer?

Last day to sign up!

Sign up by 11/6
Matches sent by 11/8
Shop by 12/5
Open on 12/15

Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/b6D58KQQbxkD3SVdA

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS

Ooooooh @MaleficentBookDragon 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Thank you, this is so sweet of you!!! The tea smells amaaaaazing, I can‘t wait to have some! And all the goodies are perfect for the foggy, chilly, snowy days we‘ve been having! Also, these books!! 🤌🏼🫶🏼

And of course that platypus is adORBS, and will find a place of honor next to the latte friend you made me, on my desk at work. 😍😍 Thank you!!! ♥️♥️

Also, happy Election Day, all! Go vote! ❤️🤍💙

Well, I filled my #aardvarkbookclub box, I added 2 for #bookofthemonth #botm (bog wife being one I‘d missed last month), and yes, I sucke… er, *subscribed* to botm‘s volume 0 set. Bc. I… had to? 😳

And then I also joined #belletrist 😨🫣 (paired w Tertulia, a book coop)

Good times…. 😁🥰😎

Ok folks, it‘s on!

Sign up by 11/6
Matches sent by 11/8
Shop by 12/5
Open on 12/15

Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/b6D58KQQbxkD3SVdA

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS

Tagging some folks who‘ve expressed interest/may be interested.

What do we think? Is there an appetite for this? Open date: 12/6? (St nick‘s day, a holiday celebrated in WI, half of MN, and by 1 person in NM 😜) or 12/15?

I‘m thinking small to smallish, with smallest being just 1 book, and biggest being … 3 books + 3-5 goodies?

#StuffedStockingSwap #sss

Aaaaand some other books I acquired last month.
😳🫣🤫🫥🥸😶‍🌫️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

#bookhaul

@LeslieO !! I love this #HauntedHallowSwap #hhs24 package!! These 2 books are perfect for the season and my mood!! The journal is so cool! And I love the dancing skeletons 😂. Also, that boot deco is so cute, those junior mints are my faaave, and the little mint tin is adorable! Thank you so much!!
🖤☠️♥️👻🎃💚💀💜

And thank you @wanderinglynn for hosting this every year!! ♥️😘

Ooohmygosh @Jadams89 !! You picked the perfect books for #AllHallowsReadSwap #ahs24 !! I‘m so excited for both of these - a full novel by Malfi, & the 2nd: that title! Also, prefect candy!! I love the s‘mores marshmallows!! & that key lime bar is soooo yummy! (Yes, I‘ve already tried both 🥸) And of course, a giant Kit Kat bar is 🎉. Love that card too! Thank you!!

And thanks to @MaleficentBookDragon for always hosting one of my favorite swaps!

Thank you soo much for sending such a perfect (tho unnecessary 😉) #AllHallowsReadSwap pkg @AmyG !! I‘m sooo excited for these books, there was so much candy (& such variety!!), the coffee smells soo yummy & I love the socks, the amaze-bates motel notepad, & stickers! 😍😍 Oh & did I forget to mention the best. bookmark. ever? That clown bookmark is so perfect for me!! Thank you so much for your always generosity & sweetness & thoughtfulness!!♥️♥️

Here‘s my #TenBeforetheEnd #10beforetheend

Includes: #RealLifeBookGroup picks, #SeasonalCozies picks, #CoffeeBeanBookClub #cbbc picks, and even my current #audiobook #earreading (tagged). I … think I can… 🚂🚂🚂

#HyggeHour #HyggeHourReadathon

Bugga‘s costume this year (a *spider* monkey 😉), this stupid good Apple soda, my #RealLifeBookGroup book for … October (🫣), my #CoffeeBeanBookClub #cbbc for Oct/Nov, and my beautiful book sleeve from #fffs @PatriciaU 🥰😍

A perfectly October Hygge Hour! 🤗♥️

Ooooh thank you @BarkingMadRead for this perfect #ModernWitchSwap #MWS package!! I was *just* looking at the tagged book yesterday, covetously, and now I have it!! I‘m so excited for both reads - excellent picks! And I love the pouch, stickers, & bookmarks, and can‘t wait to eat those gummies & drink the yummy cocoa! Thank you!!! 💚🪄💜🔮🖤🧙🏼‍♀️💚

And thank you @BookwormAHN for hosting such. Fun swap!!

Received this month‘s #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you @Callemarie for all the fun Halloween goodies!! Look at all those pins/buttons & stickers! I love the mug with a hat that comes off!! And the decoration and the pouch!! 🧡🖤🧡 And of course the chocolate raspberry coffee smells divine. 🥰🥰 Can‘t wait to read this month‘s book!
Thank you!! ♥️♥️♥️

(Also, @Malachi wanted to be part of this pic ☺️)

‘Morning all!

Finished my trip and returned to 2 Litsy packages! 👏🏼👏🏼 one is #AHRS #AllHallowsReadSwap and the other… I‘m guessing #HHS? #HauntedHollowSwap #HHS24 @LeslieO ?

Also audio-read Starter Villains on my drive - it was good! Fun, not *exactly* as I‘d have liked. 😜 But ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And started and aaalmost finished the tagged… just about an hour left!

Happy fall weekend! Hope your weather is crisp!
🍁🍂🍎

On the backside of my long trip, where I also got to visit my old stomping grounds (college). I‘m now in Joplin and continuing to enjoy the amazing fall colors in the Midwest (which my camera in no way captures 😜).

And received a lovely surprise from @MaleficentBookDragon — thank you!! 🤗♥️🥰 Super excited to read this, and t‘is the season!
🎃👻💀🖤